Immortal Sacrifice, page 29
Two timid looking witches entered. One was carrying a box wrapped in yellow parchment with a card stuck to the side.
“My Queen,” She placed it on the table and stepped away, “we are so sorry for interrupting. One of the guards brought this to the tower. Says it was left at the east gate. Your name is on the card.”
“It’s alright.” Zamara frowned and eyeballed the package. “Thank you, ladies. You can go.”
They turned and rushed from the room.
Everyone gawked at the package like it might explode any second. A terrible knot of apprehension bound her insides. Since it came from the east gate, facing The Forbidden, she had a solid idea who sent it. Whatever was in that box couldn’t be good.
It could be a bomb… or poison. “Maybe I should open this alone…”
“No.” Cassian barked. “We read the card first.”
He jerked his chin towards the package. “Then we can get a guard to open it in a fortified room.”
Zamara wanted to argue about having a guard risk their life, but they were at war, and it wasn’t just her life at stake anymore.
Stop trying to shield them and let them do the jobs they signed up for. She nodded to Cassian.
He snatched up the card. Then, he slid one of Zamara’s throwing knives out of its sheath and opened the envelope.
Cassian read aloud:
Dear Little Queen,
I found a way to break the Ceterus bond. The proof lies in this box. I want you and everyone around you to know that this is all your doing. You took my seer, my trolls, and my children from me. Now it is my turn to take something from you. This is what happens when people betray me. You have until dark to surrender Mystic Lake and the Akashi Stone or Rose will meet a slow and painful end. Meet me by the offering tree for the exchange.
Best Regards,
Kain
The fountain in the courtyard gurgled in the background.
A wall clock ticked incessantly.
Zamara glanced at it. 8 hours until sundown.
Merida jumped up and shredded the parchment from the box like a rabid feline.
“Merida. No!” Zamara sprang from her chair and reached for the box, but Merida disappeared with it and re-materialized behind the bar. She took the lid off and stared at its contents in complete silence.
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Her eye twitched.
Merida grabbed fistfuls of her dark hair as she collapsed to the ground and wailed…
… And wailed…
… And wailed…
Heart wrenching, soul piercing, blood-curdling screams that could silence the tortured souls of the Neverworld.
Cassian jumped up and strode to the box. He glanced inside and went rigid. Then he carefully replaced its lid and turned to Nevrine. “Get her out of here.”
Nevrine rushed to Merida’s side and helped her up. His face was pale as he glanced at the box—to Cassian. “Is it what I think it is?”
Cassian nodded.
“Gods.” Nevrine’s voice broke. “We can take her to Mage Tower for a tonic.”
“No need.” Zamara said, “I have some upstairs in my apartment. Take her there to rest. Make sure she has everything she needs.”
As Nevrine dragged her away, Merida locked eyes with Zamara. The hate of a thousand suns burned in her gaze.
“Liar! You did this!” She pointed at Zamara and bared her teeth. “Liar! Oath breaker! You promised! You keep—I trusted you—I hate you! You promised! You promised…”
She howled down the hall until her voice faded away.
Zamara stood there staring after her, rooted to the spot. Tense silence blanketed the room. Her ears rang. It felt like someone had her throat in a vice. Hot tears of failure and broken vows clouded her vision. She tried and failed to swallow down the aching lump in her throat. She plopped down in her chair before her knees gave out, bowed her head, and slumped her shoulders in defeat.
She had never known hate in the way that she did right now. It burned, hot and bright. She hated Kain. First her father, then her sister, now this? If he would do something like this to his own children…the Five Realms didn’t stand a chance. How could he make her choose between her sister and her people? Impossible. Heavy footsteps approached from behind.
“Zamara?” It sounded like Red. She couldn’t be sure over the roaring in her skull.
Zamara hissed, a wounded animal backed into a corner, unable to determine friend from foe.
The room spun.
She cradled her forehead in her shaking hands, elbows braced on each knee.
Zamara sat like that for what seemed like an eternity, a million thoughts, orders, and outcomes battering her brain.
Her council’s eyes seared into her back.
There must be a way. A way around this. Think! What unknown path will lead my sister and my people to safety? There must be a way…
Lose the battle to win the war.
I did just take the Western Isles.
—and their ships.
“Give the orders to evacuate.” Her voice was small, crushed.
“Zamara.” Cassian interjected. “We can’t give up the settlement. We all love Rose, but our duty is to our people first.”
“We can—and we will.” Her voice rose. “It’s just a place. We can build another one but what I will not do,” she brought her head up and looked each of them in the eye, “Is allow that bastard to take anyone else as a bargaining chip. He can have the settlement, for now, but he cannot have our people. Mystic Lake is nothing without its citizens. Let him lord over a city of ghosts and granite.”
Cassian raised his chin, “I turned some mills into forges while you were away. I hope you don’t mind. Our citizens are all armed. They want to stay and fight for what is theirs. They have that right. To defend their homes. You would take it away from them?”
“A soldier would argue with his captain general that their order for retreat was wrong?” Zamara snapped.
“No, Zamara.” Cassian clasped his hands on the table and took a breath. “—but I am not just a soldier. We are bound for eternity, and I am your future king. And as a member of the High Council, it is my job to tell you the hard truths. Even if you do not wish to hear them. The truth is, you are giving ground where none need be given. We can hold him off and you know it. The reason you are calling for an evacuation is personal.”
“Sacrifice Rose, so we can hold our position, that is your wise counsel?”
“Yes.” Cassian nodded. “Kain will not kill her. He is bluffing.”
“You do not know that for sure.” She continued. “With the extra armies, the reapers still outnumber us ten to one. Kain will either kill our citizens or enslave them if they fight and lose. If it means keeping their lives and their freedom then, yes. I will be the bad guy. It’s what leaders do. Make the hard choices so the others don’t have to. Now, give the order. We have eight hours until sunset. They have three hours to pack and then I want them all boarding ships. Make sure they bring their weapons, last thing we need is for them to fall into the hands of the reapers. I will trade the amulet for Rose and then we can regroup in the Western Isles—”
“—I disagree.” Xiao said. “We have an impenetrable wall—"
“—If he can’t get to the Trisector,” Zamara said, “we have time to reclaim the Akashi Stone. There are ways into and around the city. Then when he is without leverage, we will be free to decimate him.”
“Zamara.” Red said. “They are right. We can’t give up our position. The Western Isles are not even close to being as fortified as Mystic Lake.”
“Being surrounded by miles and miles of water when our enemy doesn’t have boats is our fortification, and even if they fashion boats, Cassian will burn them before they even make land.”
Boss grunted. “People in Magland are gonna fight against evacuating. We don’t belong on islands.”
“The fate of the Five Realms hinges on us standing in between Kain and the Trisector.” Cassian said. “Handing him the amulet is helping him get closer to it. I know you don’t want to hear this Zamara, but this stopped being about Rose and Ander a while ago. I understand your grief. She is your sister. But you are also a queen. You know that. Rose knows that. She would want us to fight. I know deep down, you get this.”
“We are at war!” Zamara stood and placed her palms on the table. “—and I am your Queen. As such, all final orders come from me. Regardless of your opinions. We have these laws to expedite important matters during times of strife. So, we are not caught in a stalemate for months on end arguing over it. You all know this. I shouldn’t have to explain it to you…”
She took a steadying breath to calm the storm raging inside her. “I will only ask this once. Can my council trust me to make decisions concerning warfare without a lengthy detailed explanation of why or not? Because if you cannot, say so now. Time is not on our side.”
They all stood, knelt, and placed their fists over their hearts.
“Rise.” Zamara continued. “I trust my council to handle the evacuation without me. Have teams load as many goods and supplies on the cargo ships as they can. Burn the rest. Get a message to Scandronn. If I am needed, I will be in the tavern in Magland. This meeting is adjourned.”
The air around Magland smelled of barbeque and bonfire. Massive cargo ships bobbed in the sparkling water as her horse galloped along the coast.
A line of farmers and island workers shuffled in with their evacuation bags and laid them in a pile on the docks. Their effects would be loaded, so the citizens were ready to quickly board ships when the time came. They made quick work with this evacuation. Looks like the drills paid off after all.
Main street in Magland was full when she rode in. It would appear the locals had the same idea as her.
Hurry up and pack so we can enjoy our home while we still call it ours.
Zamara dismounted and handed her reins to a wide-eyed stable boy. “Let this mount be your last. Go enjoy yourself. People can tie off their own horses. They need to be let loose before we depart anyways.” She handed the boy a handful of silver chips and strode around the sandstone building towards the main entrance.
A quartet of drummers and horn blowers played on the boardwalk outside the tavern. The street had turned into a dance floor. Massive fires blazed in the intersections. Who says it must be nighttime to enjoy a good inferno?
It seemed they were having one last bonfire as a final middle finger to Kain, burning the stores that wouldn’t fit on the ships. They gorged themselves on meat and booze. An unspoken goal among them, don’t let the enemy have any of it.
She entered the tavern in search of a drink. A makeshift sign hung behind the bar: Open Bar, Serve Yourself.
Peals of raucous laughter drew her attention to the back. A crowd stood around a pair playing some drinking game.
Zamara grabbed a mug from the bar and jostled through the crowd toward the commotion. She broke through the circle. Levi and Dante were playing a game of Chips.
There were three piles of jewels on the table. Zamara smiled. “Gambling is frowned upon, boys.”
“Frowned upon, yes. Illegal, no.” Levi grinned and tossed his chip, it plunked into a cup.
Dante added a jewel to the middle pile and chugged the glass.
“Where did you get the jewels?” Zamara frowned.
“We didn’t steal them.” Levi’s eyes widened. “Promise.”
“We found them on the shores of Mystic Lake.” Dante bounced his chip and missed. “Usually only one or two at a time, here and there, but we were up in the Crags and—”
“—The Crags are off limits,” she scolded, “the ground there is unstable. All it would take is one wrong step and…rockslide. Buried alive.”
She sighed. “I don’t make these rules to oppress you. I make them to keep you safe.” She shook her head. “Where are these jewels coming from? They aren’t just appearing out of thin air. Someone must be putting them there.”
“It’s the children of the moon, the Pale Ones.” Dante nodded.
“Who?”
“The Pale Ones,” Levi bounced and sank another chip. “People who live in the area say they see them crawl out of the lake at night. That is where they live.”
Dante sighed and added another jewel to the pile, “They try to bait us with treasure so they can drag us down to the depths and eat us, but we are smart. We hunt for the jewels during the day. The sunlight hurts them.”
“I’ve never heard of this.” Zamara snorted. “Have either of you ever seen one of these moon children?”
They shook their heads no.
These jewels aren’t coming from some urban legend in the lake.
Levi blurted, “—are you going to let us fight in the next battle? We are of age now. We want to be in the Guard.”
Gods. They are seventeen already? They are but men now. “Joining the Guard is your decision. If you are of age, I cannot stop you.” That doesn’t mean I can’t protect them. “I will make you a deal. If you can beat me at ax throwing, I will let you join us in the next battle, as recruits. If not, you must sit the next one out.”
“But the next will be the one that people talk about for centuries to come!” Levi argued.
She shrugged.
“How is that fair?” Dante raised his eyebrows. “Since all the firewood Boss made us chop, we are both good at it–But you are the Queen, and you have magik. There is no way we could win.”
Zamara finished her ale, downed the glasses on the table, and smacked her lips. “I will not use my magik.”
“Deal.” Levi stood and scraped his winnings into a waist bag.
Dante did the same.
Zamara followed the boys to the backyard. These two have no idea what they are getting into. She almost felt guilty for tricking them. Even without her magik, they didn’t stand a chance.
She sauntered over to the stump and yanked out an ax. “Who wants to go first?”
Scandronn laid Jori’s stretcher in the dry grass and rolled his shoulders. His back twinged. He had been carrying him for the last three days.
Scandronn hefted Jori to his feet and maneuvered him onto a stump.
“Did anyone ever tell you that you are kind of a mother hen, shifter?” A coughing fit cut Jori’s chuckle off.
“Anyone ever tell ye that yer a lot heavier than ye look?” Scandronn patted him on the back and handed him a skin of water. “Drink this.”
Movement from the direction of the gate caught his attention. A rider thundered in on a gray mare. News from the council. Finally.
He looked at Jori. “A messenger’s riding in. I need to go meet him. Are ye good here?”
Jori waved his hand and wheezed. “I’m fine. Go.”
“It shouldn’t take long.” Scandronn laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll get ye to our Magai and ye’ll be right as rain before ye know it.”
He made his way through their temporary camp to intercept the rider. The southern Magai did not meet his eyes as he marched by. The nape of his neck prickled. Their gaze drilled holes into his backside after he passed. The air smelled of apprehension and sickness. He rested his palm on the hilt of his sword and plodded forward. Its coolness steadied him.
A horse whinnied in the background. Someone hacked up a lung from a few tents away. Something feels… off.
He quickened his pace.
A pained bellow echoed from across the camp and was abruptly cut short…then another…and another.
Three bursts of orange light from the front lines pierced the sky.
A tidal wave of screams swept across the field. He drew his sword.
Chaos ensued.
He understood what was happening when the three Magai around him drew their weapons and attacked.
Traitorous bastards!
Scandronn roared a battle cry. Raised his sword. Blocked and deflected the first blow. A numbing shock wave shot up his arm.
He spun, chambered his leg, and planted a boot in his opponent’s back as he stabbed his sword into the throat of another. He ripped his sword from that Magai’s neck, twisted, dropped to a knee, and stabbed upwards, through the guts, into the heart. Blood jetted in all directions, covering his face and armor.
Another Magai blindsided him before he could free his sword. They tumbled through the grass. Enough. He shifted into his wolf form as he rolled on top of the Magai and tore his throat out.
Scandronn darted through a maze of tents in his wolf form, ripping out the throats of every Magai he could find, gradually gaining ground towards the rider and his message. He felt himself tiring as he panted, frothy tongue lolling out of his mouth. The smell of smoke and blood singed his nostrils. Clashing metal and agonized screams assaulted his sensitive ears.
He reached the front lines and paused to assess the scene and catch his breath. The battle condensed here.
Trolls fought Magai for the lives of the people from Port Angelis. He scouted the area for the rider and located the gray mare. The horse’s saddle sat empty.
No! Where is he?
He frantically searched the wreckage.
Predators of the surrounding areas charged in. Bears, mountain lions, wolves… his lone wolf couldn’t fight them all. It was a bloodbath. He must find whoever was controlling the animals and kill them.
Shouts drew his attention. He glimpsed a tawny haired commander bellowing orders. The commander shifted into a jaguar in a flash of light and took out one of Jori’s guards.
Desmond.
He curled his lip. This is his doing. The sonofabitch! He’ll die for this.
Rage burned through his veins, giving him his second wind. His vision tinted red. Scandronn’s hatred grew stronger with each rapid beat of his heart.
He hurled himself towards the traitor, baring his teeth.
Scandronn plowed into him. They locked into a gruesome fight of claws and snapping teeth.
After much rolling around in the grass and sustaining bites and scratches, Scandronn finally locked his jaw around Desmond’s throat and snapped. There was a sickening crunch.
